An extensive prior art exists regarding the formulation of sensitive washing- or cleaning-agent ingredients, in particular of enzymes in solid form. These include particles or (better, because they are made up of multiple ingredients) granulate grains (granules), which in total yield the formulated form of the granulate. For the manufacture of washing and cleaning agents it is usual to incorporate a very wide variety of ingredients in the form of granulates into corresponding agents, usually solid agents. One comparatively new development involves adding the sensitive ingredients in the form of solid granulates to liquid washing and cleaning agents as well.
Enzyme granulates are known in a multiplicity of embodiments in the existing art. German application DE 10 2006 018780, for example, discloses granulates of a sensitive washing- or cleaning-agent ingredient, in which context enzymes also represent such an ingredient. Commercially obtainable enzyme granulates are, for example, the enzyme preparations of the Novozymes company referred to as “T-granulates,” or the enzyme preparations of the Danisco/Genencor company referred to as HS or D granulates.
A disadvantage of many enzyme granulates known in the existing art, however, is that they are not sufficiently stable in washing or cleaning agents. The washing or cleaning agent hence loses a considerable degree of enzymatic activity after only a short period of time. It is consequently not sufficiently shelf-stable in terms of residual enzymatic activity. The washing or cleaning agent then no longer exhibits optimum cleaning performance.
The underlying object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid disadvantage and to make available washing or cleaning agents having enzyme granulates that have sufficient improved shelf stability, in particular in terms of their enzymatic activity.
Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.